Fiber optics is a branch of physics based on the transmission of light through transparent fibers. Individual or bundled optical fibers can carry light for hundreds of miles. An optical fiber has a highly transparent core, typically constructed from glass or plastic and encased in a cladding. Light from a laser, incandescent light bulb or other source enters one end of the optical fiber. Light traveling through the core is contained by the cladding because the inside surface of the cladding bends or reflects light inwardly. At the other end of the fiber, a detector, such as a photosensitive device or the human eye, receives the light.
Commercially available high-tolerance fiber ferrules closely received in corresponding sleeves, commonly referred to as fiber connectors, often are used to couple serial individual fibers. These ferrules, normally made of Zirconia, Alumina or metals, each are made with a through-hole for receiving a fiber. The ferrules are precisely manufactured to provide less than 1 micron center-to-center tolerance between serially-aligned ferrules. When retained in a sleeve, the ferrules maintain the cores of the fibers with high-precision alignment, which results in less than 0.5 dB coupling loss.
Many optical applications rely on interposing optoelectronic devices between aligned fibers. These optoelectronic devices often require electrical energy in order to operate. Where the fibers are coupled with fiber connectors, placement of the optoelectronic device for optimal transmission therethrough is problematic. Delivering electrical energy to or monitoring electrical signals from the optoelectronic device also is difficult.
What is needed is a fiber connector that facilitates alignment of and electrical communication with optoelectronic devices on or between optical fibers.